Most of us wouldn’t necessarily think of the Super Bowl when talking about leadership in the workplace.

But a new report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas draws some interesting parallels that employers might learn from.

John Challenger, the firm’s CEO, says most viewers will watch this Sunday’s match-up between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots simply because they enjoy watching the game and hanging out with friends. But the teams’ coaches, he said, are great examples of workforce management and leadership.

“There is a reason that these are currently the two best teams in the National Football League,” Challenger said. “Both coaches have found success due in large part to their respective approaches to managing their teams.”

Challenger lays it out this way: In Dan Quinn’s first season as defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks the team led the league in fewest points allowed, fewest yards allowed and the most takeaways. This year, in just his second year as head coach with the Atlanta Falcons, the team fought its way into the Super Bowl.

Not bad.

“One of Dan Quinn’s first actions as the head coach of the Falcons was to install a basketball hoop in the meeting room to foster competitiveness and a desire to perform at peak ability within his organization,” Challenger said. “This week, he brought in three ping pong tables to help players bond. Forward-thinking companies offer similar non-work activities and distractions as a way to get the most of their workforces.”

Challenger also notes that Patriots coach Bill Belichick uses a stringent screening process to filter talent that will work best within his system — something the human resources community strives to do with every resume and interview.

This totally makes sense. Let’s face it, an NFL coach’s top goal is to create a cohesive team that will play aggressively, and ultimately win games. Wouldn’t that same mind-set apply to employers? Think about it. They’re striving to create a team that will aggressively pursue the company’s goals of promoting and selling its products or services. It’s a simple concept. But recruiting and retaining the top talent a business needs requires effective screening, ongoing training, incentives and a nurturing workplace culture.

That’s why athletic coaches and players are often called upon to be keynote speakers at big corporate events. They know what focus, determination and winning are all about. More importantly, they know how to convey that drive to the people around them.

Companies are continually looking for ways to motivate their employees and get the most out of them. Look at Google. This company offers an array of employee perks, including free gourmet meals, laundry services and fitness facilities, generous paid parental leave and on-site childcare.

Google employees are also free to work on “passion projects” that have special meaning to them. PayScale.com reports that 75 percent of Google employees consider their jobs to be meaningful while 86 percent say they are either “extremely satisfied” or “fairly satisfied” with their job.

Now admittedly, Google is an extreme example because most companies can’t afford to provide the kinds of perks they do for free. But you get the idea. A nurturing work environment can go a long way toward building employee morale and productivity.

And Quinn and Belichick? They definitely know a thing or two about winning.

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